1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to apparatuses and methods for making carbon nanotubes, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for making an array of carbon nanotubes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Carbon nanotubes were discovered by S. Iijima in 1991, they are very small tube-shaped structures, each essentially having composition similar to that of a graphite sheet rolled into a tube. Theoretical studies showed that carbon nanotubes exhibit either metallic or semiconductive behavior depending on the radii and helicity of the tubules. Carbon nanotubes have interesting and potentially useful electrical and mechanical properties, and have many potential uses in electronic devices. Carbon nanotubes also feature extremely high electrical conductivity, very small diameters (much less than 100 nanometers), large aspect ratios (i.e. length/diameter ratios greater than 1000), and a tip-surface area near the theoretical limit (the smaller the tip-surface area, the more concentrated the electric field, and the greater the field enhancement factor). These features make carbon nanotubes ideal candidates for electron field emitters, white light sources, lithium secondary batteries, hydrogen storage cells, transistors, and cathode ray tubes (CRTs).
Generally, there are three methods for manufacturing carbon nanotubes. The first method is the arc discharge method, which was first discovered and reported in an article by Sumio Iijima entitled “Helical Microtubules of Graphitic Carbon” (Nature, Vol. 354, Nov. 7, 1991, pp. 56-58). The second method is the laser ablation method, which was reported in an article by T. W Ebbesen et al. entitled “Large-scale Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes” (Nature, Vol. 358, 1992, pp. 220). The third method is the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, which was reported in an article by W. Z. Li entitled “Large-scale Synthesis of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes” (Science, Vol. 274, 1996, pp. 1701).
In the arc discharge method, a carbon vapour is created by an arc discharge between two carbon electrodes either with or without a catalyst. Carbon nanotubes self-assemble from the resulting carbon vapour. In the laser ablation technique, high-powered laser pulses impinge on a volume of carbon-containing feedstock gas (methane or carbon monoxide). Carbon nanotubes are thus condensed by the laser ablation and are deposited on an outside collector. However, the carbon nanotubes produced by the arc discharge and the laser ablation vary greatly in diameter and length, with little control over the dimensions of the resulting product. Moreover, poor carbon nanotube yield and prohibitive cost involved in making the device mean that the two methods difficult to scale up to suit industrial production.
In the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method, carbon filaments and fibers are produced by thermal decomposition of a hydrocarbon gas on a transition metal catalyst in a chemical vapour deposition reaction chamber. In general, the chemical vapour deposition process results in both multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) and single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) being produced. Compared with the arc discharge method and laser ablation method, the chemical vapour deposition method is a more simple process and can easily be scaled up for industrial production. However, the carbon nanotubes manufactured by the chemical vapour deposition process aren't bundled to form an array, thus the CVD process can't assure both quantity and quality of production.
In view of the above, another method, such as a thermal chemical vapor deposition method is disclosed where an array of carbon nanotubes are formed vertically aligned on a large-size substrate. The thermal CVD method includes the steps of: forming a metal catalyst layer on a substrate; etching the metal catalyst layer to form isolated nano-sized catalytic metal particles; growing carbon nanotubes from said isolated nano-sized catalytic metal particles by the thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process; and purifying the carbon nanotubes in-situ.
The carbon nanotubes formed by the above-described methods are vertically aligned on the substrate. However, the devices used in above-described method are complicated. Several gas inlets are disposed in the device for introducing different gases. Also the carbon nanotubes formed by the above-described devices and methods are generally comprised of a mix of MWNTs and SWNTs. The mixed carbon nanotubes do not sufficiently exhibit the useful properties of a single-type array of carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, excess amorphous carbon lumps and metal catalyst lumps are also produced along with the carbon nanotubes formed by the above-described devices and methods and adhere to inner or outer sidewalls of the carbon nanotubes. Thus, a complicated purification device and method is required in addition to the above-described devices methods. Moreover, the devices used in the above-described method generally operate at temperatures in the range from 700° C. to 1000° C. for growing carbon nanotubes, thus requiring a highly heat-resistant reaction chamber. Therefore, the devices in the above-described method for making the carbon nanotubes are limited.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus and a method for making an array of carbon nanotubes that is easy to operate and has a simple structure and process for forming a high pure carbon nanotube array.